People living outside the power grid are set to benefit from the partnership between Azuri andZuku. This comes after they launched a solar powered Pay-as-Go satellite TV knows as PayGo TV.

Azuri technologies is one of the leading UK based provider of PayGo Solar home systems.

The partnership will yield affordable TV for households outside the power grid and with a solar power, 24-inch TV, A satellite dish and a Zuku smart+, the customers will enjoy entertainment from 48 TV stations and 21 radio channels for only Kshs 149 daily. Additionally, the customers will enjoy lights and charging of gadgets from the solar.

In Kenya, 65% of rural areas are faced with 3 problems to being able to watch TV; accessing power, coverage of service and high up front cost of installation. It is good news since Azuri TV addresses this problem by providing affordable TV, anywhere at anytime.

The service is initially available in selected regions of Central Kenya and will be rolled out progressively nationwide in 2017, targeting the over 5m households that are currently outside of the power grid.

Speaking during the launch in the area of Mwea, Kenya, Azuri Technologies CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth said:

“Solar power has made huge strides. Just a few years ago, a small solar light was new technology. Today we are providing a TV and service provision that would not look out of place in any major city in the world.”

Wananchi Group Satellite CEO, Jay Chudasama explains to customers how the PayGo Solar TV works during the launch of the set in Embu County.

In 2015, the digital migration happened in Kenya. There is an appetite and market for TV and TV products in Kenya with a large proportion of the population who do not have a TV. The country is experiencing a digital TV boom with pay TV penetration forecast to climb from 38.2% in 2015 to 51.7% in 2021 according to a Research and Markets, Kenya Digital TV Forecasts report.

There is an appetite and market for TV and TV products in Kenya with a large proportion of the population who do not have a TV

The off-grid solar market is rapidly advancing beyond just lighting and phone charging with Bloomberg Report 2016 forecasting that around 15 million households will have a solar-powered television by year 2020.

On the other hand,Zuku Satellite TV CEO Jay Chudasama said:

Theinnovative approach, will not only offer a revolutionary way to reach out to over 5 million homes without electricity in central Kenya, but also contribute greatly towards deepening the television penetration in the country in general.

Customers pay the top-up rate via mobile money, allowing customers to use the system as much as they want for the credit period. After as little as 2 years of payments, customers will own the equipment and continue to pay only for the satellite service.